Ill make this as brief and to the point as possible. My 2003 Chevy Cavalier will intermittently not start. But let me be very specific about this. When I put my key in and turn it to on (just a click before the engine turns over) two things can happen. 1. I can hear my fuel pump prime the engine. I turn the key one more click and the car turns over just fine, runs fine, never stalls, never dies. NOW THE PROBLEM! 2. The key turns to on, but I do not hear the fuel pump prime. I also hear what I would best describe as a "chatter" coming directly from my "Fuel Pump Relay". This chatter is sporatic, sometimes just a split second or sometimes it will chatter with two different speeds for up to 2 seconds. I turn the key and the engine turns but will not fire (which makes sense since the engine did not prime.
History...
Maybe 3 years back when on a road trip, the car ran out of gas. I tried to start it a couple of times (was not watching the gauges before it ran out) and quickly learned that I should not try and start a fuel injected car when it is out of gas. Fuel pump died. A local mechanic installed a new one and everything has been fine since the new problem has arrised. I have tried switching the "A/C" relay with the "FUEL PUMP" relay for they are the same to see if it is a relay issue. Still get the same problem. I have pulled and pushed the relay in multiple times to see if it's a connection issue... no fix. When the pump doesnt prime, if I turn the key back and forth for about 15-30 times, eventually it will prime, everything sounds as it should and the car will start. It might do this 5-6 times before surely enough that one turn comes and the problem is back.
Direct Questions.
1. Can the fuel pump be "intermittently" failing due to lack of power? I was under the impression it either works or doesn't.
2. Can there be something wrong with the computer system such as BCM/ECU? Secondly, which is more likely the culprit?
3. I don't have any Anti-Theft on the car, but I do get that light when I turn the key to on (wether it starts or doesn't) but could the default system be messing with it?
4. Can the seat where the relays and fuses intermittenly cause the issue? I don't have any problems with any other relay.
5. The key sticks most the time when trying to turn it past OFF. Jiggling it gets it to turn. Can this be associated with the issue.
6. My key is not chipped. When I got a new key made it definetly came as a solid grey, no rubber key.
I have scoured forum after forum, page after page, and found so many instances SO simular to this one, but the people writing them are so NOT specific with their questions. I am hoping I can find a solution by actually writing my own specific details. Thanks to anyone who takes this into consideration.
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